Signal lamp or flashlight for water disaster



Feb. 7, 1961 KAZUHIRO SHIMIZU 2,971,081

SIGNAL LAMP OR FLASHLIGHT FOR WATER DISASTER Filed Feb. 20, 1959 INVENTOR.

Ba WWW United States Patent SIGNAL LAMP OR FLASHLIGHT FOR WATER DISASTER Kazuhiro Shimizu, 39 Iogi S-chome, Suginami-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed Feb. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 794,597 Claims priority, application Japan Jan. 10, 1959 3 Claims. (Cl. 240--10.68)

This invention relates to a signal lamp or flashlight for water disaster.

The main object of this invention is to provide a signal lamp or flashlight which can be actuated automatically by water pressure when it is thrown into water.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement of parts to enable the lamp or flashlight operative also manually.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished and the methods of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing showing one typical embodiment of this invention,

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the signal lamp with parts thereof shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the invention taken along line 11-11 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the signal lamp with parts thereof shown in section; and,

Fig. 4 is also a bottom plan view of the invention with a half part of the bottom cover cut away.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, 1 denotes the main part of a cylindrical casing of a signal lamp for water disaster and 2 the bottom part of said casing screwed onto the lower end of the part 1. Upon the top surface of the bottom part 2 is placed an annular metal plate 3 which is connected by a lead wire 4 with a contact metal plate ring 5 which is also connected integrally with a contact sheet metal disc 6. The ring 5 and disc 6 are held in their positions by a holder ring 7. Below the disc 6 a protection plate 8 with many slots is arranged and held between the disc 6 and a threaded ring 9 which is screwed into the lower end of the part 2. Upon the inside annular projection of the part 2 a perforated circular conductor disc 10 is placed and held fast by a spring ring 11. This disc 10 carries somewhat elastically in its central portion a contact pin 12 screwed therein which is so situated that normally it does not touch the metal disc 6. The disc 10 also carries a supporting curved spring plate 13 of an electrically conductor material which supports in turn an electric dry cell 14.

As well known in the art the dry cell 14 is connected electrically with an electric bulb 15 with a reflector 16, which is held in position by a projecting lens 17 screwed into the upper end of the part 1. The reflector 16 is connected electrically with a lead plate 18 connected also electrically with the metal plate 3.

Onto the part 2 is mounted slidably a conductor plate ring 19 carrying a contact pin 20. This contact pin 20 can be in contact with a corresponding contact piece 21 integral with the spring plate 13, when the ring 19 is rotated till it is stopped by a stopper 22 planted in the part 2, as shown by broken line in Fig. 2. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the ring 19 touches always the metal plate 3 and the pin 20 is inserted slidably in the circumferential direction into a slit 23 in the part 2 which is covered at its bottom with a bottom cover 24 with plural holes 25. The dry cell is centered by holding pieces 26.

As shown in Fig. 1 the casing is provided on its circumference with plural parallel axial grooves, whereby the lamp can be beautified in its external aspect.

When the signal lamp according to this invention is thrown into water, for example, in case of emergency, the lamp itself floats on the water, while water flowing into the space between the metal disc 6 and the bottom cover 24 through the holes 25 presses the disc 6 against the contact pin 12 till the disc 6 touches the pin 12. In this case the following electric circuit is closed, resulting in lighting of the lamp: contact pin 12-disc 10spring plate 13-cell 14-bulb 15-reflector 16lead plate lit-metal plate 3-lea.d wire 4plate ring 5disc 6.

If it is necessary to signal for rescue, for example, on a ship by means of the lamp of this invention, one rotates the conductor plate ring 19 till the contact pin 20-touches the contact piece 21. In this case the following electric circuit is closed, resulting in signaling for rescue: spring plate 13cell 14bulb 15--reflector Iii-dead plate 18-metal plate 3-plate ring 19-contact pin 2tl-contact piece 21.

From the foregoing it will be seen that many modifications of the specific disclosed form of the invention may be resorted to, and it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be ascertained solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A signal lamp, especially for water disaster comprising a casing including cylindrical side walls and a bottom part detachably secured to said side walls, an imperforate metal disk secured to said bottom part, a contact assembly including a contact normally held in spaced relationship from said disk and a spring plate electrically connected to said contact, a battery in said casing supported on said spring plate, a reflector having a lamp mounted therein, said lamp being conected to said battery, a lens assembly secured to said casing and overlying said reflector and said lamp, means electrically connecting said reflector to said disk, and a perforated bottom cover secured to said bottom part permitting water to contact said disk to urge said disk against said contact, said disk maintaining the interior of said casing dry.

2. A signal lamp, especially for water disaster comprising a casing including cylindrical side walls and a bottom part detachably secured to said side walls, an imperforate metal disk secured to said bottom part, a contact assembly including a contact normally held in spaced relationship from said disk and a spring plate electrically connected to said contact, a battery in said casing supported on said spring plate, a reflector having a lamp mounted therein, said lamp being connected to said battery, a lens assembly secured to said casing and overlying said reflector and said lamp, means electrically connecting said reflector to said disk, a perforated bottom cover secured to said bottom part permitting water to contact said disk to urge said disk against said contact, said disk maintaining the interior of said casing dry, a ring mounted about said casing, and a contact pin electrically connected to said disk, said contact pin being fixed to said ring and being engageable with said contact assembly to complete an operative electrical circuit from said battery to said lamp.

3. A signal lamp according to claim 2, wherein said spring plate is curved and resiliently supports said batterv.

References Cited in the fiIe of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,552,224 Setterblade May 8, 1951 2,765,481 Manhart et al. Oct. 9, 1956 2,798,940 Alinat et a1. July 9, 1957 

